Socket for pin base lamps and tubes



J 9 N. CHIRELSTEIN 2,235,146

SOCKET FOR PIN BASE LAMPS AND TUBES Filed Sept. 30. 1941 Mzllmm milasz' m,

BY M% Patented June 2, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT ioFFIcE SOCKET FOR. PIN BASE LAMPS AND TUBES Nathan Ghirelstein, Chicago, Ill. Application September 30, 1941, Serial No. 412,931 1 Claim. (01. 173- 328) The invention here disclosed relates to sockets of the type covered in patent application Ser. No. 340,443 filed June 14, 1940, issued as Patent 2,257,786 on October '7, 1941, for holding electric lamps or tubes having pin terminals like the 5 fluorescent lamps now in-use.

Special objects of the present invention are to provide a simple, inexpensive form of socket construction, which while firmly holding the tubes in place, will readily release the tubes when they are to be removed and enable them to be easily locked in the supported position.

Other desirable objects will appear as the specification proceeds. The drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification illustrates one commercial embodiment of the invention. Structure however, may be modified and changed as regards this particular disclosure, all within the true intent and broad scope of the invention as hereinater defined and claimed.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one of the sockets.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation.

Figs. 3 and 4 are broken side views illustrating the action in engaging and disengaging the pin terminals of a lamp in respect to the spring holding elements of the socket.

The socket shown, consists of a base 5, of insulating material having a wide pin receiving groove or channel 6, in the end of the same and carrying spring contacts 1, 8, for cooperation with the pins.

A special feature of the spring contact elements 1, 8, is that they have open pin receiving hooks 9, 9, faced outwardly toward the pin guiding shoulders HI, ID, forming the walls defining the edges of the pin receiving channel.

These spring contacts are further shown as having inwardly inclined cam extensions ll, projecting from the hook portions 9, which when engaged by the pins will serve as wedges for forcing the contacts inwardly or toward each other. These wedge extensions may be fiat inclines or curved on arcs which will facilitate smooth easy sliding action of the pins thereover.

The base portions l 2, l 2, of the spring contacts are shown secured on the insulating base at I3, l3, in position with the outermost portions, in this instance, the outer ends of the hooks at the juncture of the cam extensions therewith at I4, spaced from the opposed portions of the pin guiding surfaces II], a distance as great or slightly greater than the diameter of the pins, so as to pass the pins freely in either direction.

The contact springs are shown as separated by 65 an insulating barrier l5, in the nature of a partition interposed in the wide guide channel 6.

A special feature of theintermediate insulating partition [5, is that it is widened laterally at the outer end asv at Hi, to more or less overstand the ends of the contact springs to serve as a guard to prevent engagement of the fingers with the ends of these springs. This fingerguard however, preferably is extended only far enough in each direction to effectually guard the ends of the contacts-leaving ample clearance at each side for free entry of the terminal pins of the tubes.

As shown particularly in Fig. 1, the springs l and 8, are tensioned outwardly or away from each other to locate the outwardly facing hooks a. distance apart greater than the inside spacing of the'pin terminals I1, iii, of the tubes, but this normal spacing of the springs is such as-to still leave space between the outermost portions of the contacts and the opposing pin guide surfaces I0, for free entry of either pin. In the illustration, the opposed and substantially parallel pin guides ID, are spaced a distance apart appreciably greater than the outside spacing of the pins, thus providing an extra wide guide channel for easy finding in the dark or inaccessible places and for simultaneous entry of both or either one of the pin terminals.

Fig. 1 shows both pins being entered through the wide channel 6, back of the fingerguard l6, and with one pin l l, passing freely over the high point or outermost portion of contact 1, and the second pin l8, engaging the wedging terminal I I, of the lower contact 8.

Fig. 3 shows the top pin 11, fully engaged in the hook of the upper contact and the tube represented by the circle 20, being turned in the direction of the arrow to cause the lower pin I8, riding over the incline II, to force inward the lower contact. During this rotational movement of the tube about the pin which is engaged in the hook, as a center, the pivotal pin, due to the inward tensioning of the spring, which it is in engagement with, may make temporary bearing engagement with the adjoining surface 2|, of the intermediate partition, as indicated in Fig. 3.

Fig. 4 illustrates the relation of the parts at the completion of the rotational movement, when the second pin [8, has dropped into its seat in the hook 9, of the lower contact 8. In this position, with both pins fully engaged in the outwardly tensioned hooks, it is practically impossible to release both pins at once, but either pin may be released by a slight rotational movement of the tube and when that is done, the other pin is no longer held and will simply drop or may be freely lifted out of its seat in the other spring contact.

The construction described permits of the spring contacts being made of relatively heavy and stiff spring metal, because no eifort is required to engage or disengage the first pin in respect to its seat and the engagement or disengagement of the second pin is easily accomplished because of the leverage as between the relatively large diameter 2|], of the tube, which is the part that is usually grasped by the hand to rotate the pins and the inside distance between the pins at 22, where the pins engage the contact springs.

The socket of the present invention therefore is particularly suited for the larger size fluorescent lamps, having wide guide channels to si-. multaneously receive both pins of the lamps, relatively heavy and strong springs to support such lamps and to lock them in place and, by reason of the springs engaging the pins at the inner sides, providing ample leverage for easily actuating. the contacts either in the locking or in the unlocking direction. The surfaces 2|, of the intermediate partition opposed to the inner faces of the pins, while possibly serving as stationary abutment shoulders during rotational movements, of the tubes, are preferably spaced a distance apart less than the inside spacing of the pins as shown inFig. 4, so as not to interfere in any way with full gripping engagement of the springs with the terminal pins. The fingerguard is particularly advantageous as preventing all possibility of contact of the fingers with the inwardly approached wedging cam extensions of the contact springs. The construction is simple and sturdy and relatively inexpensive.

To properly locate the springs at the limit of their outwardly tensioned condition, stops such as indicated at 23, may be provided in the base at the outer sides of said springs.

What is claimed is:

A supporting. socket for lamps and tubes having spaced terminal pins and comprising a socket base. of insulating material, having a wide entrance groove through one edge of the same. for substantially simultaneous entry of. both terminal pins and defined by pin guiding side walls spaced apart a distance greater than the overall spacing of the terminal pins to admit entry of both or either of said pins and an interposed insulating partition between said spaced side walls and having opposite edges opposed to said pin guiding side walls of said wide entrance groove, spring contacts on said baSe at opposite sides of said intermediate partition and yieldable toward each other, said contacts having open pin receiving hooks and disposed with the open sides of said hooks faced outwardly toward and opposed to said side walls of said entrance groove, said contacts being tensioned away from each other with said hooks positioned a distance apart greater than the inside spacing between said terminal pins, said open hooks having ex tensions at the free ends of the same inclined inwardly toward said intermediate partition, said free ends of said open hooks being spaced away from the. opposing portions of said .pin guiding side walls a distance greater than the diameter of the terminal pins to enable free passage of either terminal pin over the inclined extension of the same into engagement. in the. open hook of either contact and whereby after such free engagement of either terminal'pin in either open hook, the lamp or tube carrying the terminal pins may be rotated inwardly about the pin which is engaged in the contact hook as a center to bring the other. terminal pin into wedging engagement with the inclined extension of the other contact to effect relative contracting movement of the contacts toward. eachother sufficiently for engagement of the second terminal pin in theopen hook of the second contact and whereby the lampor tube: may be released by simply rotating the same in either direction to free one of the terminalipins from the. open hook of one contact, afterwhich the other pin will be freely disengageable from the open hook of the other contact, the insulatingpartition between the contacts being limited in extent to. enable said rotary movements of the lamp or tube to carryv one terminal pin into engagement with or to free it from the hook of one contact, while the other terminal pinisi pivotally held in the open hook of. the other contact.

' NATHAN CHIRELSTEIN. 

